Who Is Ewan Mitchell? 6 Facts about the Up-And-Coming 'House of the Dragon' Actor

Fans of HBO's spectacular GOT prequel, "House of the Dragon," are fascinated by mysterious British actor Ewan Mitchel and his disturbingly ambiguous character, Prince Aemond Targaryen.

Fans have been riveted by the shenanigans and goings on of the Targaryen clan since the premiere of "House of the Dragon," HBO's spectacular prequel to the cult series, "Game of Thrones"

Chapter 8 saw the debut of British actor Ewan Mitchell, taking over the role of Prince Aemon Targaryan from Leo Ashton. One episode seems to be enough. Fans were fascinated by his performance. He's definitely heading for stardom, but no one seems to know who Ewan Mitchell really is.

Being Aemon Targaryan

We know who Aemond Targaryen is, of course. He is King Viserys and Alicent's second son in the "House of the Dragon," and is always in the shadow of his older brother, Aegon.

Aemon is mercilessly bullied by Aegon and his nephews, Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey, sons of his half-sister, Rhaenyra. He is mocked because he is the only young Targaryan without a dragon --a situation he is determined to rectify.

Mitchell's spare, chiseled features and twisted, cynical smile convey a world of meaning to every second he is on the screen.

An unpleasant, unpopular boy, Aemon does not lack courage. He claims the dragon of the recently deceased Laena Velaryon and becomes embroiled in a tussle with his nephews and Laena's daughters.

During the struggle, Lucerys accidentally blinds Aemon in one eye. Later, Aemon tells his raging mother that the exchange of an eye for a dragon was well worth it. Cold and calculating, Aemon promises to be a memorable villain, or perhaps a hero.

After all, Daenerys Targaryan went from hero to callous monster. Maybe Aemon will yet surprise fans who think they know where his character arc is taking him.

The ‘Mysterious’ Ewan Mitchell

If Aemon Targaryen is a cipher, so is British actor Ewan Mitchell. Mitchell has no presence on social media and is notoriously close-mouthed about himself, his past, and his personal life.

Even his HOTD co-stars seem to know little about the twenty-something actor. Yes, that's right. No one even knows his birthdate, or his age, though he is rumored to have been born in Derby.

The actor seems to be determined to let his work speak for itself, and the message is loud and clear: Mitchell owns a massive talent, and is rocketing to stardom faster than a dragon can fly.

Ewan Mitchell’s Career So Far

Mitchell's role in HOTD is only the latest in what has already been a remarkable career for one so young. He landed the part of Osferth in the 2015 British historical series, "The Last Kingdom."

Osferth, King Alfred's illegitimate son, is one of the main characters in the series from the second to the fourth season. Mitchell's work in "The Last Kingdom" was justly acclaimed, and by the time the last season ended in March 2022, he was already filming HOTD

Curiously enough, starring in HOTD is not Mitchell's only connection to the Seven Kingdoms universe.

And that was while starring in the ITV British crime series "Trigger Point" which premiered in January 2022. In "Trigger Point" Mitchell starred as bomb disposal expert Lana Washington's brother, Billy.

Before that, Mitchell worked in "The Halcyon," a British drama set in a hotel in the middle of London during WWII in which he played bellboy, Billy Taylor.

‘HOTD’ Fans Excited by Ewan Mitchell’s Performance

One appearance on HOTD was all it took for Mitchell to be acclaimed as an 'instant star.' As the adult Aemon, Mitchell is lean and mean, and every trace of the petulant, pudgy preteen is gone.

Mitchell's spare, chiseled features and twisted, cynical smile convey a world of meaning to every second he is on the screen, and fans have flocked to acclaim him as "perfect casting" for the role.

While Matt Smith who plays Daemon Targaryan has until now been considered the center of the show, he may have competition in Mitchell's elegant and effortless portrayal of malice and menace.

Mitchell's presence has certainly heated up the show and has fans' expectations soaring. That places a lot of pressure on the actor, but as we know, Targaryans don't burn.

Ewan Mitchell Challenged by High Expectations

Mitchell's fans are burning up Twitter with their appraisal of the actor's work and eagerly share their praise. One fan tweeted:

"Aemond was already my favorite character in the book with Ewan Mitchell casting him I only have high expectations."

Another fan tweeted excitedly:

"I hope they show just how crazy, cold and unforgiving this character actually is."

This particular fan went on to drop a few spoilers we definitely will not share, but watch for a massive dragon-back showdown.

Those in the know in HOTD are holding their cards close to their vests, but the series seems to have gained new momentum from Mitchell's presence. We will definitely keep watching.

How Ewan Mitchell Met Ned Stark

Curiously enough, starring in HOTD is not Mitchell's only connection to the Seven Kingdoms universe. In 2019, Mitchell played Sean Bean's son, Tom, in the BBC war series, "World On Fire."

Mitchell spoke warmly of Bean and stated that working with the older actor was a privilege and a priceless learning experience. As we all know, Bean gave a masterly performance as the short-lived Ned Stark, in the first series of GOT.

Stark's death ends up triggering the war between the rival kings that tears Westeros asunder and opens the way for the return of the Targaryens he and his best friend Robert Baratheon had defeated.

For Ewan Mitchell, the world is on fire, and fans can't wait to see him soar to stardom.